Door latch



Sept 26 1939- K. URGIN 2,174,078

DOOR LATCH Filed nay 27, 193s 2 sheetssheet 1 /4 MI5 l lz V 2a 35 33 ZZornej/J I sept. ze, 1939. K. H@ Bumm 2,114,078

DOOR LATCH Filed May 27; 193B 2 SheetsfSheet 2 Patented Sept. 26, y1939 I UNITED STATES PAT'ENTvj-oFI-lca noon micron Kermit H. Bnrgin, Zionsville, Ind. Application May 27, 1938, Serial No. 210,300

4 Claims.

This invention relates to door latches and the like and has for a primary object the provision of a self-energizing structure which will cause the door to become more securely Alatched and l resistant to opening under vibration or pressure ing open of the door as the latch member is carried toward the disengaging position.

These and other objects and advantages of the ll invention will become apparent to those versed in.

the art. in the following description of the invention as illustrated lin one particular form in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 -is a fragmentary transverse section through a door and jamb showing the structure.

in top plan view embodying the invention and in that position where the latch member has been brought into initial 'contact with the keeper;

Fig. 2, a similar view in section but showing the latch mechanism operated to the closed door position;

Fig. 3, a vertical section on the line 3 3 in Flg. 2;

Fig. 4, a detail in elevation and partial section; $0 and Y Fig. 5, a transverse section on the line 5-5 in Fig. 4. e

Like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout tie several views in the drawings. Il In the particular embodiment of the invention as herein shown and described, a latch member Il is carried by a vertically disposed pin II which in turn/ is carried by a'suitable bracket herein shown/as the tcp-and bottom walls of a housing 40 I2, whereby the latch member Ill may be free to rock about the axis of the pin I I in horizontal travel. This latch member III may assume a wide 1 range of forms, the essential feature being that it be provided with an initial striking arm. or tooth t3, to be in the path of a keeper Il, and further that this member III also have a -follower arm or tooth l5 to rock around behind a projection Il on the keeper.

It is preferame that the axis of rotation as determined by the pin II be positionedas near as possible to the outer ends of these members Il and I5. To the inner end of the latch member Il is rockably attached a pin or rod I'I by any suitable means such as the pin Il. Thisrod I1- extends from the latch member Il to have a rear (Cl. 29E- 332) portion slidingly guided through a suitable bracket such as -the rear wall I9 of the housing I2. A compression spring 20 encircles the rod Il and bears compressibiyA by its ends between the wall I9 and theend of the latch member I0. 5 Thus, in order to rock the member I0 from one position to the other as, for example, from the position indicated in Fig. 1 to the position indicated in Fig. 2, the spring 20 must be compressed as themember I0 rocks, Fig. 4, to carry the rod l0 I1 from one inclined position to another as the pivot pin I9 travels across the line between the axis of the pin II and the passage of the rear end of the rod I1I through the wall I9. Thus it is to be seen thatjgthe spring 20 will tend to retain the 15 latch III toward either end of travel as indicated. Referring to Figs. 1-4, as the door is brought to the closed position, the outer tooth member I 3 will initially strike the keeper I4 Iagainst the outer projection 2l and then-as the door is pushed on 20 toward a closed position, the latch member I0 `will be rockedin a counter-clockwise direction initially against the pressure of the spring 20 and then with the aid of the spring 20 until the member I0 is brought into the position as indicated 25 in Figs. 2 and 4. In-this closed position, it is to be noted that the spring Ztl is then maintaining the tooth I5 in compressive' contact with the inner side of the keeper projection I6, thereby tending to urge the* door in further travel toward 30 the closed pomtion. It is contemplated that the door and jamb would be provided'with the usual intervening `yielding stops (not shown) against which stops the door would be yieldingly urged by the spring- 29 through the latch member I0 and 35 its keeper Il.-

At" the same time reverse travel of the door tofcarry the member to the position indicated in Fig. 1 permits the spring 2U to rock the member I9 against the outer face of the keeper tooth 2| 40 and thereby tends to push the door outwardly away from the jamb. This degree of pressure to be applied in either case by the spring 20 may, of course, be varied to meetthe action desired and also to be in accordance with theweights of doors 45 encountered.

Since the spring 20 will normally exert considerable pressure tending to rock the memben I0 against the inner face of the tooth I6 when the door is in the closed position, it is preferable that 50 some mechanism operated by a door handle be provided in order to overcome this pressure of the spring 2l initially soas to permit ease of operation in opening the door. Inthe form herein shown, a handle 22 is mounted on' a shaft 2l, Fig. 55

. through and be rocked in a fore and aft direction through a slot 25 in the top of the housing I2. A bell crank 25 is rockably mounted on the housing I2 by any suitable means, such as the vertically extending pin 21, to have one arm extend from the pivot part to engage with the pin I8 which extends upwardly through the arcuate slot 28. In the form herein shown, this engagement is effected by having the pin I3 enter a slot 29 in the lever arm. The other arm of the lever 26 is carried from the pivot part of the lever to be in the path of the handle arm 24, herein shown as interconnecting with the arm 24 by having the arm 24 extend upwardly through a slot 3l. A spring 3I is provided to maintain the handle 22 in a normal inoperative position, this spring being interconnected with a pin 32 xed to the housing I2 and the upper end of the arm 24. f

I n the structure thus far described, pushing downwardly on the handle 22 will cause the arm 24 to reach the end of the slot 3l so as to rock the lever 28 about its pivot 21 and thereby push the pin I8 to that end of its slot 28 nearest the outer side of the door. This would be the action which would takeplace in going from the' position of the members indicated in Fig. 2 to those positions indicated in Hg. 1, the positions indicated in Fig. 1 being those following an initial action of the spring 2l as the handle 22 is re- Y leased intending to open the door.

In order to prevent accidental opening of the door from the inside such as by pushing thereagainst as might be the case when the mechanism is employed in automobile doors, a safety latch is employed which consists of a second bell crank lever 33 having its central portion mounted pivotally on the housing I2 by the pin 34 to have an arm extending across back of the pin I8 to carry an abutment 35 thereon which may drop into the path of the pin .Il across the slot 28, as indicated in Fig. 2, when the latch member IUl is in its latched position. This member of the bell crank 33 is.normally urged into the path of the pin I3, as indicated, Ly means of a spring 35 secured between the pin 21 under the upper bell crank 26 and the outer end of the arm 31 which is a part of the bell crank 33 extending from its pivot pin 34. The bell crank 33 is limited in its travel as induced by the spring 35 by reason of the arm`31 being carried along the side of the handle arm 24 the outer side of the door.

`Thisarm 31isfurtherprovidedwithacam 38 in the path of the arm 24 and Vis so positioned that the arm 31 may be normally against swung the arm 24 by the spring 3i to allow the abutment 35 to be in the path of the pin I3 when the door handle 22 is in its normal inoperative position, that position being the horizontal one in the present showing. Then upon initial downward rocking of the handle 22, the arm 2l will strike the cam 38 and thereby swingthe beu crank 33 to carry the abutment 35 out of the path of the pin I3 and thus permit further travel o the arm 24 on tothe end of the slot invention in the one particular form, it is entirely obvious that many structural changes may be employed such as changing the direction of travel of the operating handle 22, the shape and arrangement of the contacting teeth on both the latching member and the keeper, and in specic details of the operating mechanism, all without departingjrom the spirit of the invention, and I. therefore. do not desire to be limited to that precise form beyond the limitations as may be imposed by the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a door latch having a keeper, a latch member rockable in directions of travel of the door in relation to the keeper, a pair of spaced apart abutments on the latch, an abutment presented by the keeper in the path of said latch abutments, a spring interposed between the latch member and a member relatively stationary in respect to the latch member, the spring connection with the latch being arrranged to be shifted to either side of a line between the pivot axis of 'the latch member and a removed part of the spring, whereby the relative travel of the latch member across the keeper will cause an abutment of one to contact the abutment of the other and rock the latch member in opposition to and subsequently by the aid of said' spring to carry a latch abutment back of a keeper abutment, a door handle, and means interposed between the handle and the latch member for rocking the latch member toward an unlatched position to shift the spring from a latched to an unlatched urging potion, means to lock the latch member, and means to unlock the latch member by a movement of the handle before the latch member is moved by the handle.

2. In a door latch having akeeper, a latch member rockable in directions of travel of the door in relation to the keeper, a pair of spaced apart abutments on the latch, anV abutment presented by the keeper in the path of said latch abutments, a spring interposed between the latch member and a member relatively stationary in respect to the latch member, a 'pin carried by the latch member and connecting the spring with the latch member, the spring connection with the latch being arranged to be shifted to either side of a line between the pivot axis of the latch member and a removed part of the spring, whereby the relative travel of the latch member across the keeper will cause an abutment of one to contact the abutment of the other and rock the latch member in opposition to and subsequently by the aid of said spring to carry a latch abutment back of a keeper abutment, a shiftable door handle, means interposed between the handle and the-latch member for rocking the latch member away from its latched position in opposition to said spring, a safety abutment automatically shifting into the path of the pin and preventing the latch member from moving from its latching position comprising a bell crank lever having a shoulder onone leg normally resisting the movement f the pin, and means operated by the handle for initially shifting the safety abutment out of the path of the pin by moving the opposite leg of the bell crank lever to permit travel of the latch member thereafter by continued movement of the handle. l

3. In a door latch having a keeper, a latch member rockable in directions of travel of the door in relation to the keeper, a pair of spaced apart abutments on the latch, an abutment presentedbythekeeper inthe path of said latch 1' mex the latch member initially 1x1-opposition u and subsequently by the ald ofsaid spring to carry a latch abutment back of a keeper abutment. a door handle, .I bell crank lever. interensalina with the latch member, an .arm oi the u lever havinsa longitudinal slot and means inter.

connecting the door. handle with said -lever through theslot wherebythe latchmembermay beshifteddirectlybythehandleaftertravelto theexuioftheslot.A v

zo 4.1i; a door-latch havingakeeper, alatch member mckable in directions of travel of .the

doorin're'lationtothekeepenapairofspaced apart abutments on the'latch, an abutment presentedbythekeeperinthe patholisaidlatch abutments, a sprina interposed between the latch member' and a member relatively stationary in v respect to the latch member, the spring connection with the latch beingarranged tobe shifted to either aide of a line between the' pivot axis of 5 the latch member and a removed part o! the spring, whereby the relative travel of. the latch member across the keeper will cause an abutment ot one to contact theabutment of the other and rock the latch member initially in opposition to lo and subsequently by the ald of said spring to carry a latch abutmentback of a keeper abutment, a door handle, a lever interensgills with the latch member, and means interconnecting the door handle with said lever whereby the latch 15 member may be shifted directly by the handle, an abutment on a bell 'crank lever normally urged into the path of travel o! a member carrr'ied by rcrszmrrrlr. Bumm. 

